Does fewer farm salmon = more wild salmon?

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"I am pleased to see a rebounding wild salmon population in the Fraser River. The past 20 years have really been tough on them.

This year's premium run is to be celebrated. I postulate the reason for their success is the large reduction of open-net pen salmon farms and their threat of disease and sea lice on the migration route of Frasier sockeye.

The weight of evidence suggests the presence of salmon farms on the migration routes in and out of the Fraser River determines whether the sockeye will return."

Alexandra Morton

Below, you can watch a video of Marine Harvest talking about cutting their work force for financial reasons:

In 2012, Marine Harvest's Annual General Report states the down-sizing was due to a parasite called Kudoa which liquifies salmon flesh a few days after harvest causing "customer claims" to get their money back.

"Kudoa is a typical customer claim. At 4Q11, Marine Harvest continued to report Kudoa challenges linked to the Campbell River area.... The company will concentrate production at the best sites, while other sites will be closed down in order to improve biological performance.”

Whatever the real reason, a Times Colonist article confirmed "three million fewer Atlantic salmon smolts will be stocked this winter and the next season at six to seven farms in the Campbell River-Sayward area off the Island’s east coast." So there were fewer farms and fewer fish in those farms.